Target trap



Patented May 27, 1924.

- UNITED STATES FRANKLIN W. oLIN, or EAsT ALToN, ILLINOIS, vAssIGNoia TARGET TRAP.

Application filed December 30, y1922. SerialQNoi. 609,924.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FRANKLIN WIOLIN,

a citizen of the United States, and residingv Another object of this invention is to provide such a target in which the releasing mechanism may have a definite and positive action. .f

Further objects will appear from the detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in l which Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing a trap embodying this invention; and

Figure 2 is a detail plan view of a part of Figure 1.

This invention constitutes an improvement on the device described Cin vUnited States Patent Number 963,347 granted to H. E. Winans, July 5, 1910, to which reference may be had for a detail description of the trap itself. i

Referring to the accompanying drawing, 1 designates a frame having at its rearward end a standard 2 and at its forward end a post 3. The frame 1 is pivoted at 4 to a support 5 upon which it is adjustably mounted so that it may be set at different angles, the same being fixed by means of a clamping bolt 6. The post 3 supports a shaft 7 which carries at its upper end a throw arm 8 which is connected by means of a pair of gears, one of which is sho-wn at 9 to a similar throw arm 10, by means of which the targets may be thrown into the air. The shaft 7 has fixed thereto an arm 11 to which is attached one end of a spring 12, the other end of which is attached to an adjustable bolt 13 on the standard 2.' The spring 12 acting through the arm l1 is adapted to tens-ion the throw arms 8 and 10. The construction and action of this part of the device is fully described in the above-mentioned patent, and, therefore, needs no further description here.

The shaft 7 carries a sprocket 14 which is engaged by a `chain 15 connected to anactuator 16 pivoted at 17 on the standard 2; The actuator 16is connected withfan op.- erating rod or tube 18. The element I"18 should bea stiff rod-or-tube, capable of transmitting a thrust 'as well as a pull. Tension on the rod 18operates -to Ymove the actuator 16 to the left, F igureY 1, thereby, through `the agency of they chain 15, rotating the sprocket 14 and the shaft/ against the tension of the `spring 12 so as to swing the arms 8 and `10 rearwardly to set'the trap.--The arm 8- is'vprovid'ed with an extension 19 having-a notch 20 adapted toengage a sear 21 tolhold the arm 8 against the tension of the spring 12,1 while the trap is y f i 4 The sear 21 is slidably mounted upon the standard 2y fory movement? to the right and left, Figure 1, and isguided byy a pin 22 working in a slot 23 in the sear. The sear 21 is held in retracted position as shown in Figure 2 by av spring 24. n

Pivoted at 25 on the actuator 16isa trigger26 provided at oneendwith'anabutment 27 adapted to engage the rearward end of the yscar 21. The trigger 26 is further provided with an abutment 28 adapted to engage a stationary abutment y29 -on the standard 2 when the actuator 16 is vmoved to the right.

The operation of the device'is as follows: The operator pulls the operating rod 18 to the left, Figure 1, usually by means of a suitable lever arrangement at the tiring point. This moves the actuator-16 tothe left, pulling the chain 15 so as to rotate the sprocket 14 and the shaft 7i,y thereby swinging the armsV Sand 10 to the rear until the notch 2O on the arm 8 engages the sear 21. The sear will then hold the arm 8 yinits rearward position andthe trap is set. An attendant then places the targets in the holders ,30. l/Vhen'the contestantis ready to fire, thel operator-pushes forward orto the right, Figure 1, the rod 18 thereby moving the actuator 16 to the right. Upon completion of this movement by the actuator, the abutment 28 of the trigger 26 will strike the stationary abutment 29, being arrested thereby. As the actuator 16 continues its forward movement, the trigger 26 is forced to pivot about the pin 25, thereby forcing the abutment 27 under accelerated movement sharply into engagement with the rearward end of the Toy WESTERN CARTRIDGE ,n

sear 21. The impact moves` the sear to the right, Figure 1, against the tension of the spring 24k and releases the arm 8, whereupon the arm 8 and also the arm 10 which is geared to it are thrown forward by the action of the spring 12, so as to throw both targets into the air as described in detail in the aforementioned patent.

It will be noted that the trigger does not come into action until the return movement of the actuator 16 is completed, so that at the time the trigger is actuated the chain 15 is prefectly loose so as tc offer no resistance to the throwing movement of the arms 8 and 10. 1t will further be noted that the abutments28 and 29 engage at a time when the actuator 16 has attained a considerable velocity, so that when the abutment 28 is arrestedthe weight of the actuator 16 and the connected parts will be thrown at an accelerated velocity forcibly against the pivot 25, thereby forcing the abutment 27 forward against the sear 21 with a sharp impact, so as to deliver a sort of hammer-blow upon the sear, thereby insuring a quick and positive release of the arm 8. rllhis, of course, insures perfect reliability in the operation of the trap in use.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in details of construction without departing from the spirit of this invention; it is, therefore, to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A target trap, comprising, a springoperated throw arm, an actuator for setting said arm against the spring tension, a sear for retaining said arm in set position, a trigger adapted to engage said sear by impact under accelerated movement to release said arm, and means for independently ac-' eelerating said trigger.

2. A target trap, comprising, a springoperated throw arm, an actuator for setting said arm against the spring tension, a sear for retaining said arm in set position, a trigger adapted to engage said sear by impact underA accelerated movement to release said arm, and means adapted upon movement 0f said actuator to independently accelerate said trigger.

3. A target trap, comprising, a springoperated throw arm, an actuator for setting said arm against the spring tension, a sear .for retaining said arm in set position, a trig-I ger mounted for movement on and with said actuator, and a stationary abutment independent of said actuator adapted for engagement by said moving trigger to operate the same for releasing said arm.

4. A target trap, comprising, a springoperated throw arm, an actuator for setting said arm against the spring tension, a sear for retaining said arm in set position, a trigger mounted to be moved by said actuator, and a stationary abutment adapted for engagement by said trigger whereby the movement of said trigger is independently accelerated for operating said sear to release said arm.

5, A target trap, comprising, a springoperated throw arm, an actuator for setting said arm against the spring tension, a sear engaging said arm to retain the same in set position, a trigger adapted to move said sear suddenly to release the retained arm, and means for` independently accelerating said trigger upon movement of said actuator.

G. A. target trap, comprising, a. springoperated throw arm, an actuator for setting said arm 'against the spring tension, a sear for retaining said arm, a trigger carried by and movable with said actuator and adapted to engage said sear', and an abutment in the path of said trigger and adapted to be engaged thereby upon return movement of said actuator.

7. A. target trap, comprising, a springoperated throw arm, an actuator for setting said arm against the spring tension, a sear for retaining said arm in set position, a trigger mounted for movement on and with said actuator and adapted to move said sear to release the retained arm, and an abutment independent of said actuator adapted for engagement by said'moving trigger to operate the same for releasing said sear.

8. r-"i target trap, comprising, a springoperated throw arm, an actuator for setting said arm against the spring tension, a sear for retaining said arm, a trigger mounted for movement with said actuator and movable thereon, and means adapted to strike said trigger on its return movement so as to operate said sear.

ln testimony whereof l: aflix my signature this 11th day of Dec. 1922.

FRANKLIN W. @L N. 

